Sanitary sheets for a condiment bottle

ABSTRACT

A condiment container includes a body with a chamber for receiving a condiment. A plurality of thin sanitary sheets are wrapped around the body of the condiment container and can to be removed one at a time. A pressure sensitive low tack adhesive can be used between the sanitary sheets. The sheets can be rectangular in shape and can be made out of paper and/or plastic.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The current invention relates generally to apparatus, systems and methods of dispensing condiments. More particularly, the apparatus, systems and methods relate to dispensing a condiment in a sanitary way. Specifically, the apparatus, systems and methods provide for removable layers of sanitary coverings on condiment containers.

2. Description of Related Art

People often enjoy eating out at restaurants and have been doing so for thousands of years. Eating out is one way of socializing with family and friends and it provides a way to communicate at a single location at the same time. In modern times, it can be a way to get away from the TV and other electronic items and provide face-to-face conversation. Eating at restaurants eliminates the chore of needing to purchase food items and then preparing them to create a meal. While on vacation, people enjoy new foods in restaurants while also enjoying new scenery.

However, eating outside of the home has hazards. For example, people can come into contact with germs left by others. While table tops are often wiped clean, other items on the table such as condiment containers are often not sanitized. Furthermore, condiment containers are often touched by hands aiding in the spread of germs. For example, a restaurant may not place ketchup on every food item that may be eaten with ketchup to allow guests to apply ketchup from a plastic squeeze bottle to their own liking. This means that every time a person touches that bottle there can be the passing of germs via the surface of that bottle.

One solution is to wipe the condiment containers clean so that they are sanitized after each meal is served. However, restaurants can be very busy and the staff forgets to wipe condiment containers clean or they simply do not wish to take the time to wipe them clean. People can alternatively carry a package of “wet wipes” with them and individually wipe condiment containers clean, but this is inconvenient and requires one to carry around a bulky package of wet wipes. What is needed is a better way to dine away from home.

SUMMARY

The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a condiment container. The condiment container includes a body with a chamber for receiving a condiment. A plurality of thin sanitary sheets are wrapped around the body of the condiment container and can be removed one at a time. A pressure sensitive low tack adhesive can be used between the sanitary sheets. The sheets can be rectangular in shape and can be made out of paper and/or plastic.

Another configuration of the preferred embodiment is a method of using a condiment container with sanitary sheets. The method begins by removing an outer sanitary sheet from a plurality of sanitary sheets at least partially wrapped around the condiment container. For example, the outmost sheet can be removed by peeling back a corner of that sheet and peeling the rest of this sheet from the condiment container. Some of a condiment is then removed from the condiment container. The condiment can be removed by tilting and/or squeezing a condiment from the container. Additionally, in some configurations printed material on the outer surface of an upper most sanitary sheet of the plurality of sanitary sheets can be used to display advertising.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more preferred embodiments that illustrate the best mode(s) are set forth in the drawings and in the following description. The appended claims particularly and distinctly point out and set forth the invention.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various example methods, and other example embodiments of various aspects of the invention. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a condiment container with peel away sanitary sheets.

FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed view of the corners of the sanitary sheets of the preferred embodiment of the condiment container.

FIG. 3A illustrates how one of the sanitary sheets is started to be pulled from the preferred embodiment of the condiment container.

FIG. 3B illustrates one of the sanitary sheets is nearly completely pulled from the preferred embodiment of the condiment container.

FIG. 4 illustrates another configuration of the preferred embodiment of a condiment container with peel away sanitary sheets.

FIG. 5 the preferred embodiment of the condiment container illustrates an embodiment of a method for using a condiment container with sanitary sheets.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a condiment container 1 with peel away sanitary sheets 3. Individual sanitary sheets 3A-F are illustrated stacked upon each other. These sheets 3A-F can be made out of paper, plastic or another material as understood by those of ordinary skill in this art. In this example illustration, only six sanitary sheets 3A-F are illustrated but those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of sheets could be layer including more or less sheets than what is illustrated. For example, 30-50 sanitary sheets could be layered. In the preferred embodiment, a pressure sensitive low tack adhesive is used between the sanitary layers 3 to allow an outermost layer to be easily removed. For example, an adhesive similar to the one used on 3M's post-it® adhesive pads could be used. The adhesive 6 (FIGS. 3A-3B) may be deposited around the outside edges of the layers and/or some or all of the inner surfaces of each sanitary layer 3. In the preferred embodiment, each sanitary layer 3 is easily removable from an adjacent layer. One or more “peel here” labels 4 could be added to one or more corners of each sanitary layer 3. These labels 4 could indicate that corners where the sanitary sheet 3 is easy to remove because there is no adhesive under those corners. In another configuration, the sanitary layers 3 can be pressed onto the condiment container 1 and held together with atmospheric pressure so that no adhesive may be needed while still allowing for an outer layer to be easily removed from the condiment container 1.

In the preferred embodiment, each layer/sanitary sheet 3A-F is wrapped around the condiment container 1 so that first ends 5A-F generally align together and that second ends 7A-F also generally align together as illustrated. Additionally, the first ends 5A-F are generally adjacent the second ends 7A-F. The sanitary layers wrap around the condiment container 1 so that top ends 9A-F are located near a top end 11 of the condiment container 1 and so that bottom ends 13A-F are located near a bottom end 15 of the condiment container 1. The sanitary sheets 3 can be placed on the condiment container 1 at the time the condiment container 1 is produced. Alternatively, the stack of sanitary sheets 3 can be placed on the condiment container 1 after it is made.

In other configurations, the sanitary sheets 3 can be formed with one continuous piece of material and wound onto the condiment container 1. Similar to a roll of paper towels, as illustrated in FIG. 4, perforated seams 107 would be formed between each sanitary sheet 103 so that when one is removed from the condiment container 100, it could easily be torn at the perforated seam 107 and removed from the adjacent sanitary sheet.

Each sanitary sheet 3 can have an advertisement 17 printed on its surface. Each sanitary sheet 3 can have the same advertisement or there may be different advertisements on some of the sanitary sheets 3. Coupons can additionally be printed as part of an advertisement 17. The advertisement 17 can be directed toward a local business and/or a national business. Alternatively, interesting news, historical facts and other information can be printed onto the sanitary sheets. Games such as tick-tack-toe can be printed on the front and or back of the sanitary sheets 3 so that they can be played when a sheet 3 is removed from the condiment container.

The example condiment container 1 of FIG. 1 includes a cylindrically shaped main body 19 onto which the sanitary sheets 3 are placed and a top 21. The top 21 includes a spout 23 that is a concave shape cone that has an opening 25 through which a condiment can pass. For example, the body 19 can be formed with plastic so that it can be squeezed to expel a condiment from the opening 25. The top 21 has a cylindrically shaped base 27. The base 27 has internal threaded surfaces so that it can be rotated to be threadedly attached to and removed from complementary threads on the main body 19 of the condiment container 1. The top 21 can also have a cap 29 for covering the opening 25 and the cap 29 can be attached to a lanyard 31.

While one example condiment container 1 has been described, it is understood that the sanitary sheet 3 can be used with virtually any condiment container of any shape including shapes that are not generally cylindrical. For example, FIG. 4 illustrates an example of sanitary sheets 103 applied to a bottle that has generally flat and where the sheets are continuous sheets that can be torn at partially precut seams 107. Additionally, the sanitary sheets can be used on a glass container, plastic container, metal containers and the like. The sanitary sheets 3 can also be used on a container containing any condiment or any anything that is to be repeatedly touched and used by different users. For example, the sanitary sheets can be used on ketchup containers, mustard containers, pickle containers, onion containers, mayonnaise containers, vinegar containers, fish sauce containers, hot sauce containers and the like.

Having described the components of the preferred embodiment of sanitary sheets 3, their use and operation are now explained. The sanitary sheets 3 are first printed with the advertising 17 or other attractive print. Alternatively, they do not have to be printed upon if an attractive material of a desired color is used to make the sanitary sheets. The desired number of finished sheets 3 can then be stacked together and then placed on the condiment container 1. Alternatively, if the sanitary sheets 3 are all connected together as discussed above, then they can be rolled onto the condiment container 1 similar to how paper towels are rolled onto a central core. The finished condiment container 1 can then be placed in a place of use such as a restaurant, for example. Now the sanitary sheets 3 can be periodically removed when one wants to be sure the surface of the condiment container 1 is sanitized. In general and as seen in FIG. 3A, a single sheet 3 can start to be removed by peeling up a corner that does not contain adhesive under it. As shown in FIG. 3B, the sheet 3 continuously pulled from the condiment container 1 until the sheet is completely peeled from the condiment container 1.

Example methods may be better appreciated with reference to flow diagrams. While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the illustrated methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks, it is to be appreciated that the methodologies are not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from that shown and described. Moreover, less than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an example methodology. Blocks may be combined or separated into multiple components. Furthermore, additional and/or alternative methodologies can employ additional, not illustrated blocks.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200 of using a condiment container with sanitary sheets. The method 200 begins by removing an outer sanitary sheet, at 202, from a plurality of sanitary sheets at least partially wrapped around the condiment container. For example, the outermost sheet can be removed by peeling back a corner of that sheet and peeling the rest of this sheet from the condiment container. Some of a condiment is removed, at 204, from the condiment container. The condiment can be removed by tilting and or squeezing a condiment from the container. Additionally, in some configurations printed material on the outer surface of sanitary sheets may be read.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details, the representative embodiments, and illustrative examples shown and described. Thus, this application is intended to embrace alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. References to “the preferred embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, and so on, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in the preferred embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A condiment container comprising: a body with a chamber for receiving a condiment; and a plurality of thin sanitary sheets wrapped around the body of the condiment container adapted to be removed one at a time.
 2. The condiment container of claim 1 further comprising: adhesive between at least two of the plurality of sanitary sheets.
 3. The condiment container of claim 2 wherein the adhesive further comprises: a pressure sensitive low tack adhesive.
 4. The condiment container of claim 1 further comprising: a peelable corner lacking adhesive formed on at least some of the plurality of sanitary sheets.
 5. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: printed material printed on one or more of the sanitary sheets.
 6. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: advertising printed on one or more of the sanitary sheets.
 7. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the body is cylindrical in shape and the plurality of sanitary sheets wrap at least partly around the cylindrical shape of the body.
 8. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: a plurality of sanitary sheets that are separate sheets stacked upon each other.
 9. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: a plurality of sanitary sheets that is a continuous material with perforations for separating sanitary sheets from the continuous material.
 10. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: the plurality of sanitary sheets are formed out of one or more of the group of: paper and plastic.
 11. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sanitary sheets further comprises: a plurality of rectangular sanitary sheets.
 12. The condiment container of claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of sanitary sheets that includes between 10 and 100 sanitary sheets.
 13. The condiment container of claim 1 wherein the body of the condiment container is configured to hold one or more of the group of: ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, fish sauce and hot sauce.
 14. A method of using a condiment container comprising: removing an outer sanitary sheet from a plurality of sanitary sheets at least partially wrapped around the condiment container; and removing some of a condiment from the condiment container.
 15. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 wherein the removing some of a condiment further comprises: squeezing the condiment container.
 16. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 further comprising: reading printed material on the outer surface of an upper most sanitary sheet of the plurality of sanitary sheets.
 17. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 wherein the removing an outer sanitary sheet further comprises: peeling back a corner of the outer sanitary sheet.
 18. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 wherein the removing an outer sanitary sheet further comprises: peeling back a corner that lacks adhesive of the outer sanitary sheet.
 19. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 further comprising: tearing off outer sanitary sheet at perforation formed between the outer sanitary sheet and an adjacent sanitary sheet.
 20. The method of using a condiment container of claim 14 further comprising: tilting the condiment containers to remove some of a condiment. 